Just over two percent of the country's midwives are of Pacific descent but the workload is often heavier because Pacific mothers tend to experience more complicated births.

One of two Pasifika representatives on the national College of Midwives, Trish Taihia, said they end up working many more hours to offer appropriate cultural care, but their pay doesn't adequately recompense them.

Sapolu joined a vocal group of supporters of the Free West Papua Movement in a peaceful protest this morning outside Sheraton Aggie Greys Hotel in Apia, which is the venue of the 48th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Summit.

“We have to stand up because if we don’t, no one will. Let us talk about the freedom for the indigenous people of West Papua, of all Pacific islands, Unasa told journalists.

More than 2,000 people marched Saturday in Bobigny, a suburban town nearly six miles (9.2 kilometers) northeast of the French capital. They chanted and carried signs demanding justice for a 22-year-old man who says he was sodomized by a police officer's baton.

The demonstrations turned violent when a few hundred protesters broke away from the march and began rioting, police said. They smashed windows, set cars and trash cans on fire and attacked law enforcement personnel, who responded by firing tear gas into the crowd.